Ash-sifter.



H. SGHNITZLER.

ASH SIFTER.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 25,1901.

Patented N 0V. 17, 1908.

e 8 a a a 'rnz NORRIS PETERS ca, wAsnmnrou, n. c.

HERMAN SOHNITZLER, OF CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS.

ASH-SIFTER.

Application filed November 25, 1907.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

Serial No. 403,640.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN SCHNITZLER,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chelsea, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Ash-Sifters, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like arts.

My invention is an ash sifter for household use, particularly adapted to be used and permanently kept in the kitchen. To this end, I have provided an arrangement from which no dust can possibly escape while the ashes are being sifted, and in which, instead of having the ash receptacle and the cinders receptacle in one box or cage, I have made the ashes receptacle detachable, so that the rest of the apparatus may remain hung on the wall or elsewhere located in the kitchen while the ashes are taken out to the ash barrel, my invention including a large number of other improvements, all of which will be more fully explained in the course of the following description, taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of the ash sifter, the bottom being broken away for convenience; Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the lower ortion; Fig. 4 is a central vertical longitudlnal section; Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the crank; Fig. 6 is a central transverse sectional view; and Fig. 7 illustrates in side elevation a detail of the locking and releasing device.

The ash sifter as a whole comprises an upper portion 1 and a lower portion 2, the upper retaining the cinders and the lower retaining the ash siftings. The bottom of the part 1 is open and provided with an internally depending flange 3 for receiving the upper rim or external flange 4 of the bottom part 2, as best shown in Fig. 4, and at each cornervof the box I provide V-shaped centering lugs or projections 5, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, said projections 5 extending upwardly sufficiently to engage the corners o the top part 1 and compel the bottom part 2 to center itself and engage the bottom of the upper part 1 with a tight fit. This is to adapt the device to the average kitchen maid or housewife, so that she can readily hand the ash sifting portion 2 in position to close the bottom of the part 1 for receiving the ashes.

For the purpose of quickly and accurately locking the two parts 1 and 2 together, I have provided the part 2 with wire loops 6 at its opposite sides, and the part 1 with hooks 7 pivoted to the sides thereof at 8 in position to engage the wire loops 6, being actuated by a wire 9 to which said hooks are secured at 10, said wire being fastened at 11 to the part 1, and having loops or expansion portions 12, 13, and extending at its opposite end at 14;, where it is connected with a handle 15 fitting a depending portion 16, so that by turning the handle 15 down in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 7 the part 16, bearing against the box, causes the wire 9 to extend lengthwise, thereby pulling the hooks 7 forward into engagement with the wire loops 6. The part 2 is also provided with opposite bails 17, crossed at 18 so as to maintain themselves always in raised position ready to be grasped by the user. These are shaped and crossed, as best shown in Fig. 8, so as to permit the ashes to fall freely into the receptacle 2 and yet leave the crossed bails in position for the hand of the user to grasp them without being obliged to poke into the ashes to find them. The part 2 is preferably provided with legs or stands 19, and at one end has a door 20 hinged at 21, and provided at its opposite ends with wings 22 so as to clirect the ashes out properly when the door is open for the delivery of the ashes, said door being normally closed by a pivoted button 23 having a nose 24: for engaging an obliquely arranged wire 25 to wedge the door tightly closed when the button is turned in the proper direction.

In the upper part 1 of the ash box I mount a perforated. cylinder 26, whose opposite journals occupy the lower ends of vertical slots 27 formed in the ends of the part 1, said slots extending downwardly from the top edge thereof so as to permit of the ready re moval of the perforated cylinder 26, these slots being normally closed automatically by the lowering of the cylinder. For this purpose, closers or guard plates 28, whose lower ends are pivoted at 29, have upper and lower tripping shoulders 30, 31 held by any suit able means as by being riveted frictionally against the upper part 1 of the ash box in position to be engaged by the axles or j ournals of the screen cylinder, so that when the latter is raised the ournals engage the shoulders and automatically swing back, the plates 28 thereby opening the slots 27 to permit the rotary cylinder 26 to be fully lifted out, and when the cylinder is lowered the journals hit against the shoulders 31, which automatically swings the plates 28 back to vertical position, thereby closing said slots, so that no dust can escape when the cover 32, hinged at 33, is closed. At the rear side of the box is a spring strap 34, having an eye in its upper end, by means of which the ash sifter can be hung on a hook or nail adjacent the stove, said spring strap being engaged by a finger 36 extending from the adj acent portion of the cov r, so that when the cover is raised the said spring strap 34: tends always to close the cover, as clearly shown in Figs. 2- and 6. The front edge of the cover is provided with a loop 37 to be en aged by the laterally projecting end 38 of a pivoted button 39 for holding the cover tightly closed. The perforated sifting cylinder 26 has several special features. A sliding cover 40 movable in guides 4,1 is provided with a snap catch 42 operated by a slightly project ing headed stud 43 at the forward edge of the cover 4E0, so arranged that when the stud 43 is depressed, thereby releasing the catch 42, the cover will slide freely back, thereby opening the cylinder for the reception of ashes to be sifted, and upon simply pulling forward the sliding cover 40, it will automatically latch itself, thereby closing the cylinder.

As this apparatus is intended primarily for use in the kitchen (as distinguished from the ordinary ash sifters, which are intended and adapted only for use in the cellar or yard) I have endeavored to make the construction such that no projecting ends or levers are in the way to catch on the dress of the maid, for instance, and accordingly I have provided the cylinder 26 with a handle eta pivotally mounted at 4:5 transversely of the end of the adjacent journal at), said construction being best shown in Figs. 4t and 5, from which it will be seen that the handle may be turned for use into the position shown in said figures, and when not in use may be rotated in its vertical bearing L5 until the hand grasp 47 thereby extends inwardly instead of outwardly. A clip 51 serves to hold the cylinder steady for filling. The front side 48 of the part 1 of the ash sifter is made movable, being supported on a stirrup or wire hanger 49 pivotally mounted at 50 in the ends of the part 1, the button 39 being preferably carried on the upper edge of the part 48. Thus, when the ashes have been sifted and nothing but cinders remain in the cylinder 26, the button 39 is turned so as to release the front side 48, whereupon it is tipped from its upright boxclosing position to the position shown in clotted lines in Fig. 2, the position of the pivot 50 and the proportion of the parts being such that when occupying said dotted position it is inclined as shown. Thereupon the cylinder cover 40 is slid back and the cylinder is turned around so as to dump the cinders upon the inclined ledge or side %S, which directs them out into any suitable receptacle, such as the coal-hod. If, on the other hand, the sifting is small, so that only a few cinders remain in the cylinder, the latter is preferably simply raised out of its slots, upon the opening of the cover 32, thereby permitting the cylinder and its contained cinders to be carried directly to the stove, and the cinders dumped into the fire-pot.

It will be understood that, while I have herein shown and described my invention in all its preferred details, some of the details may be omitted without departing from the other general features of the invention, as,

for instance, in the cheaper form of apparatus, and especially when made on a very small scale, and even, it may be, on a large scale, the cinders delivery front %8 may be omitted, and so as to other parts under given conditions.

I have already mentioned one of the chief advantages of my construction, viz. that it is so constructed that it is practically dust proof, and hence is capable of being hung on the wall for use in the kitchen. rxnother advantage is that it is small and occupies little space, and, as the cylinder is horizontally mounted and retains the cinders in itself, it can be short, and because of this general construction and the fact that no dust can escape, the cylinder can be turned rapidly and the ashes thereby quickly sifted. Because of the construction which permits it to be hung up on the wall, and the fact that it is complete in itself, no ash pail or other usual ash receptacle is necessary. I have also found it of advantage in burning cinders in a kitchen stove, to wet the cinders, and the removable construction of the cylinder makes it possible simply to carry the cylinder and its contained cinders to the sink faucet, where the cinders can be properly dampened and thence dumped directly into the stove, the cylinder permitting the proper draining off of the cinders before dumping. The construction of the apparatus is such that all parts are easily accessible for inspection, repair, cleaning, etc.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An ash sifter, comprising a closed box,

,having an upper portion provided with a short perforated sifting cylinder journaled horizontally in the opposite ends of the box, and a lower portion for receiving the ashes from said sifting cylinder, said upper portion having one side pivotally supported to swing from closed position into position be neath said cylinder for delivering the cinders from the latter, said cylinder having a movable cover for said purpose, and said lower portion being provided with a hinged delivery means adjacent the bottom at one end for delivering the ashes.

2. An ash sifter, consisting of a tight box having a removable cover and vertical slots in its opposite ends, a perforated sifting cylinder horizontally journaled at its opposite ends in said respective slots, and guard plates provided with means of automatically moving them to position closing said slots and to position opening said slots upon the insertion and removal of the cylinder.

3. An ash sifter, comprising a closed box, consisting of an upper portion provided with a sifting cylinder for receiving the mixed ashes and cinders, and a lower portion cletachably' connected to said upper portion,

said upper portion having an open bottom and the lower portion having an open top for the delivery to the lower portion of the ashes as they are sifted by said sifting cylinder, said upper portion having locking hooks pivoted on its sides and a longitudinally extensible spring actuator connected with said hooks and extending outside of the box to move said hooks simultaneously into locking engagement with the lower portion, said lower portion having cooperating loops to receive and retain said hooks.

4:. An ash sifter, comprising a closed box, consisting of an upper portion provided with a sifting cylinder for receiving the mixed ashes and cinders, and a lower portion detachably connected to said upper portion, said upper portion having an open bottom and the lower portion having an open top for the delivery to the lower portion of the ashes as they are sifted by said sifting cylinder, said upper portion having locking hooks pivoted on its sides and a longitudinally extensible spring actuator connected with said hooks and extending outside of the box to move said hooks simultaneously into locking engagement with the lower portion, said lower portion having cooperating loops to receive and retain said hooks, and an angular operating handle arranged to turn against the end of the box and connected with said extensible actuator for extending the latter when moved into pressing engagement with the box.

5. An ash sifter, comprising a closed box especially adapted for kitchen use, having an upper portion provided with a short perforated sifting cylinder journaled in its 0pposite ends, one of the journals of said cylinder extending outside of the box, and a crank handle pivoted transversely in said projecting journal and capable of being turned axially of said pivot, when not in use, so as to reverse the working position of the handle end thereof to prevent the latter sticking out in position to catch passing objects.

6. An ash sifter, consisting of a tight box having a removable cover and vertical slots in its opposite ends, a perforated sifting cylinder horizontally journaled at its opposite ends in said respective slots, and guard plates pivoted adjacent said slots in position to close the slots when the cylinder is in place, said guard plates having shoulders overhanging the respective journals of the cylinder when in closed position, the relative position of said parts being such that when the cylinder is removed its journals strike against said overhanging shoulders and thereby swing the guard plates on their pivots out of the way.

7. An ash sifter, consisting of a tight box having a removable cover and vertical slots in its opposite ends, a perforated sift-ing cylinder horizontally journaled at its opposite ends in said respective slots, and pivoted guard plates for closing said slots, each plate having two shoulders, one shoulder located in position to overhang the adjacent cylinder journal when in slot-closing position and the other shoulder located to cross said slot when the guard plate is out of slot-closing position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERMAN SCHNITZLER.

\Vitnesses:

M. J. SPALDING, EDWARD MAXWELL. 

